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Title: Body monitoring and imaging apparatus and method

Abstract

A non-acoustic pulse-echo radar monitor is employed in the repetitive mode, whereby a large number of reflected pulses are averaged to produce a voltage that modulates an audio oscillator to produce a tone that corresponds to the heart motion. The antenna used in this monitor generally comprises two flat copper foils, thus permitting the antenna to be housed in a substantially flat housing. The monitor converts the detected voltage to an audible signal with both amplitude modulation and Doppler effect. It further uses a dual time constant to reduce the effect of gross sensor-to-surface movement. The monitor detects the movement of one or more internal body parts, such as the heart, lungs, arteries, and vocal chords, and includes a pulse generator for simultaneously inputting a sequence of pulses to a transmit path and a gating path. The pulses transmitted along the transmit path drive an impulse generator and provide corresponding transmit pulses that are applied to a transmit antenna. The gating path includes a range delay generator which generates timed gating pulses. The timed gating pulses cause the receive path to selectively conduct pulses reflected from the body parts and received by a receive antenna. The monitor output potential canmore » be separated into a cardiac output indicative of the physical movement of the heart, and a pulmonary output indicative of the physical movement of the lung.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Livermore, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870680
Patent Number(s):
5573012
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61B - DIAGNOSIS
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01S - RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
monitoring; imaging; apparatus; method; non-acoustic; pulse-echo; radar; monitor; employed; repetitive; mode; whereby; reflected; pulses; averaged; produce; voltage; modulates; audio; oscillator; tone; corresponds; heart; motion; antenna; comprises; flat; copper; foils; permitting; housed; substantially; housing; converts; detected; audible; signal; amplitude; modulation; doppler; effect; dual; time; constant; reduce; gross; sensor-to-surface; movement; detects; internal; lungs; arteries; vocal; chords; pulse; generator; simultaneously; inputting; sequence; transmit; path; gating; transmitted; drive; impulse; provide; corresponding; applied; range; delay; generates; timed; receive; selectively; conduct; received; output; potential; separated; cardiac; indicative; physical; pulmonary; lung; pulses reflected; reflected pulses; substantially flat; imaging apparatus; pulse generator; receive antenna; amplitude modulation; time constant; transmit antenna; surface movement; output indicative; provide corresponding; acoustic pulse; monitor detects; pulses transmitted; gating pulses; gating pulse; copper foil; audible signal; pulse-echo radar; radar monitor; reflected pulse; repetitive mode; non-acoustic pulse-echo; doppler effect; transmit pulse; audio oscillator; /600/

Citation Formats

McEwan, Thomas E. Body monitoring and imaging apparatus and method. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
McEwan, Thomas E. Body monitoring and imaging apparatus and method. United States.
McEwan, Thomas E. Mon . "Body monitoring and imaging apparatus and method". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870680.
@article{osti_870680,
title = {Body monitoring and imaging apparatus and method},
author = {McEwan, Thomas E},
abstractNote = {A non-acoustic pulse-echo radar monitor is employed in the repetitive mode, whereby a large number of reflected pulses are averaged to produce a voltage that modulates an audio oscillator to produce a tone that corresponds to the heart motion. The antenna used in this monitor generally comprises two flat copper foils, thus permitting the antenna to be housed in a substantially flat housing. The monitor converts the detected voltage to an audible signal with both amplitude modulation and Doppler effect. It further uses a dual time constant to reduce the effect of gross sensor-to-surface movement. The monitor detects the movement of one or more internal body parts, such as the heart, lungs, arteries, and vocal chords, and includes a pulse generator for simultaneously inputting a sequence of pulses to a transmit path and a gating path. The pulses transmitted along the transmit path drive an impulse generator and provide corresponding transmit pulses that are applied to a transmit antenna. The gating path includes a range delay generator which generates timed gating pulses. The timed gating pulses cause the receive path to selectively conduct pulses reflected from the body parts and received by a receive antenna. The monitor output potential can be separated into a cardiac output indicative of the physical movement of the heart, and a pulmonary output indicative of the physical movement of the lung.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1996},
month = {1}
}